Hanging by a Thread
by Caeleinn
Summary: Reckless, impulsive, rebellious, never one to plan anything. All he'd wanted to do was free London of Templar control, maybe have a bit of fun along the way. So why was he finding himself constantly drawn to this particular street corner in The Strand? What was it about that little shop with the bright blue store front? It might have something to do with the owner...
1. Upstart

"Help! Stop, thief! Oh, someone stop him!"

The cry was one often heard within the boroughs of London, from Whitechapel to Southwark to Westminster, but there was something within the tone of the voice crying out this time that made Jacob pay attention. He saw a lady gesturing toward a fleeing figure and he took off in pursuit, pushing past other pedestrians for a full block before he was able to tackle the offender to the ground.

"Please don't kill me, sir! I was only hungry, didn' mean to cause no hurt to anyone!" The thief cowered before him, his hands raised in a defensive position.

Jacob grabbed the boy's lapel. "Next time, don't make such a scene." A sudden thought hit him and he leaned in closer to the lad. "There are better ways to earn a few coins. Come work for me. Join the Rooks. We take care of our own." He let go of the boy's jacket and took a step back. "Think about it. I always need eyes and ears on the streets." He fished into his own pocket and withdrew a few coins. "Go get something warm to eat, lad." With that, he turned and made his way back up the street to where he had last seen the lady that had been crying out.

She stood in the same place, her hands clasped together and peering anxiously through the crowd, trying to catch a glimpse of the thief and the man that had rushed past her to chase after him. Jacob stepped before her and tipped his hat toward her, bending his upper body in a slight bow as he returned her small purse to her. "Miss, I believe this belongs to you. I do apologize if it took any damage when I captured the miscreant."

"Oh, sir, thank you! I don't know what I would have done had I lost this. All of my earnings for the past two days; I was going to the bank to deposit them." she explained. She gave him a small smile and continued, "I must say, I don't think I've ever seen anyone move quite as fast as you."

"It was nothing, Miss...?" Jacob gazed down at the lady before him, one eyebrow lifted in question.

"Josephine Hanley, but everyone calls me Josie." Josie dipped in a quick curtsy as she offered her hand in greeting.

Jacob took it with his right hand and doffed his hat with the other, bending over her hand momentarily. "Jacob Frye, at your service, Miss Hanley."

Josie blinked in surprise. His name, along with his sister's, had been bandied about the streets for weeks now, along with stories of their exploits. From what she'd heard, she'd expected him to be much brawnier - and perhaps a bit less well spoken - than the specimen that was currently staring at her with that one eyebrow lifted over the most sparkling emerald green eyes she'd ever seen…

Shaking herself mentally, she replied, "Oh! I've heard of you! The gentleman that's been shaking things up and ruining London, if I were to believe one half of society. A savior for the workers, if I listen to the other half." A small smile flitted across her lips. "I'm certainly glad I've been given the opportunity to form my own opinion on your character."

Jacob's lips lifted in an answering smile. "Let me guess. You've heard tales of horror, that I'm an upstart that should be put in my place, a thug, a thief, a liar and a killer." The small blond woman before him nodded as though uncomfortable in admitting so, her vivid blue eyes widening in dismay as he spoke. He leaned in a little and gestured for her to come closer, as though he were about to share a secret with her. She did so and he said, "I am all of those things. But I am also a brother and a son who doesn't like to see anyone - man, woman, or child - be taken advantage of, robbed of their wages, used, and tossed away like so much rubbish." He straightened and gazed down at her, trying to judge her reaction to his words. He wasn't disappointed as a brief flash of worry crossed her face. "Make of that what you will, Miss Hanley, but know that what I fight for is freedom for everyone within this city, whether they realize they are lacking it or not." He tipped his hat to her once more and said, "Good day, Miss," and turned to leave.

Josie surprised herself by reaching out to grab his sleeve before he could take two steps. "Mr. Frye; please don't misunderstand me." She waited until he had turned to face her again. Those green eyes of his pierced her and she fidgeted slightly under his gaze. Plucking up her courage, she said, "I believe you, and I thank you for your honesty. It makes what I want to say much easier." She straightened her spine and turned to point down the street behind her. "Do you see that shop on the corner with the bright blue front? That is my shop. I'm a seamstress. Should you or your sister or any of your men require any… repairs, please come see me. I can also make certain alterations, should they be needed." She hoped he understood just what it was she was offering.

Jacob blinked a few times, making sure that he had heard her correctly. A shop owner? She looked to be no older than he. "Are you offering to become the Rook's personal outfitter, Miss Hanley?"

Her bottom lip rolled between her teeth for a moment before she answered. "I have two girls in my employ. One of them had an older brother that joined the Clinkers in hopes of being able to contribute to the family. The Blighters killed him. The other one had a little sister that was forced to work long hours at a spinning house, developed a cough, and died at the age of 9. If you are trying to fix those types of situations, then I want to help in some small way."

He bit the inside of his cheek to prevent grimacing in anger over her words. "In that case, I accept your offer. I'll let my men and my sister know. Now, if you will excuse me, I must continue with the business that brought me here today."

"Of course, Mr. Frye. I apologize for keeping you. Good day to you." She nodded her head once in parting then continued down the sidewalk to the nearest bus stop. Jacob stared after her for a moment, his hands locked onto the handle of his cane. Catching site of a couple of Rooks across the street, he hailed them to wait a moment, then dodged through the carriages to reach them.

"Lads, I've got a job for you." He gestured for them to follow him down the street to the corner. They stopped next to him and he nodded his head toward the shop on the opposite corner. "See that seamstress' shop across the way?" He waited for their acknowledgment before continuing. "I want it under watch at all times. The owner has just become one of our new friends and I don't want anything to happen to her, or her property. Be discreet and careful with the watching; I don't want her or her clientele to be uncomfortable with your presence. Recruit whoever you might need for the task."

As he finished setting his task, he saw the bus that Miss Hanley had boarded roll past him. He waited until it was half a block away before hopping into the driver's seat of a nearby Rook carriage and began to follow at a distance. He kept telling himself that it was just to make sure that Miss Hanley reached the Bank without further incident, but a small part of him scoffed at that notion. He shut out that little voice and told himself even louder that it was just business and had nothing to do with the way the light reflected off of her hair or the spark of mischief that had entered her eyes when she had offered her skills to his cause… 

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_Author Note: And here is the completed first chapter. If any of you are here from my other story, Of Things Misplaced, don't worry... the next chapter of that one is coming soon.  
_


	2. Obvious Reasons

"Jacob, where exactly are we going again?" Evie turned her head to look at her brother as he drove through the streets of London. He'd been very secretive about this jaunt and it was driving her mad.

"Oh, Evie. Can't I just surprise you?" Jacob shot her his best cajoling smile. Evie only rolled her eyes.

"Your surprises always wind up causing more trouble than they were worth. Just tell me!"

"Fine," he replied, only vaguely offended at her words. "While walking through St. James Park the other day, I heard a lady extolling the talents of a particular seamstress located in The Strand and I thought, well, with the way things are going between you and good ol' Henry, you might be in need of a new special outfit soon." He turned to look at her just in time to see a blush creep over her cheeks.

"There is nothing…! Oh, fine. Whatever, Jacob." With that, Evie crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the carriage wall. If that was the game Jacob wanted to play, she'd let him amuse himself… for a little while.

Raising an eyebrow at Evie's behavior, he cleared his throat and continued. "As it turns out, this particular seamstress was also quite grateful to me for retrieving her wages for her when a thief snatched them out of her hands. So impressed with what you and I and the Rooks have been doing in the city, she offered her sewing skills and services to us, should we ever have need of any modifications." One shoulder lifted in a shrug. "Her words, not mine."

Evie lifted her own eyebrow. "I see. And you are taking me with you for what purpose?"

Jacob shrugged again, deftly maneuvering their carriage around another that had inexplicably stopped in the street while he considered his answer. Truth was he didn't feel comfortable visiting Miss Hanley alone, even if it was her place of business. He'd taken a risk in speaking to her on the street the day he'd returned her purse to her. It just wasn't gentlemanly to address an unknown lady in that way. Notorious gang leader or no, there were still rules of etiquette to be followed, after all, and being alone with a lady without a chaperone just wasn't done. "I just thought you'd like to meet her. Can't hurt to have a talented seamstress on our side, can it?"

Evie sighed and rolled her eyes at her brother. There was more to it, she was certain, but until he was ready to tell her anything more, she'd have to let it go. "I suppose. I do have a tear in one of my favorite waistcoats. Perhaps she could fix that for me."

"I'm sure she could," Jacob replied, his mind already racing ahead to seeing the lady again. His hands guided the reins of the horse automatically, pulling the carriage to a stop across the street from the bright blue store front. So caught up in his thoughts, he didn't realize that he had been sitting there, not moving from the driver's seat until Evie cleared her throat. When he turned his head to meet her eyes, she sported a little smirk on her lips. With a scowl, he shook his head at her and climbed down from the bench. "Shut it, Evie," he growled, sensing that the smirk was still on her face. With that, he stalked across the road toward Miss Hanley's shop.

The lady that currently had Jacob's mind in a whirl heard the bell over her door jingle, but she didn't look up from the ledger in which she was recording a few figures. "Be with you in a moment, please," she said, quickly jotting down another line of numbers. _'I've got to convince Mr. Codswell that his payment is due as soon as possible,'_ she thought.

"Take your time, Miss Hanley. We're in no hurry."

At the sound of his voice, Josie's head snapped up and she met the bright green gaze of the man that had invaded her thoughts far too often as of late. His lips twisted up into smile and she found herself smiling in response. "Mr. Frye! I've been thinking of you! I mean, wondering if you would make use of my offer, that is. To fix things for you. And your sister, of course! Is this lady her?" She could feel her cheeks heating up and decided that to stop talking now would really be the best option for all of them.

Evie raised an eyebrow at the woman's outburst and glanced over at Jacob. He himself had a twinkle of amusement in his eye, as if he knew what an affect he was having on the other woman. Stepping forward, she reached out a hand to the seamstress. "Yes, I am his sister, Evie Frye. I understand from Jacob that you have offered your services to us and our associates. We thank you for the kindness, Miss Hanley."

"Oh, please, do call me Josie! And yes, I and my girls are willing to help in whatever fashion we can. If it will take the Blighters off the streets, we are all for it." She glanced over at Jacob briefly before turning her attention back to Evie. "Is there something I can do for you today?"

"Actually, I do have a rip in one of my favorite waistcoats. I'll bring it by tomorrow, if that's alright."

"Yes, that would be fine. And you, Mr. Frye? What can I do for you?"

Jacob had stepped over to a small table and was flipping through several fashion drawings while the ladies talked. He had lifted one to study it closer when Josie spoke to him. "Well, I am in need of a new coat, if you have the time. Maybe something like this?" He lifted the drawing in his hand.

Josie stepped over to him and took the card to examine it. Stepping away from him, she held it up at arm's length and studied it and him with a critical eye. After a few moments of him fidgeting under her gaze, she finally said, "This is a nice style, but I'm not sure it would be an appropriate one for a man of your build." She lowered the card and tapped a finger against her lips, thinking for a moment. With a sudden smile, she turned and called out, "Evelyn! Be a dear and bring that dark blue coat that Mr. Turnbridge never picked up. And a warm pot of tea, as well, please!"

She turned back to Jacob and explained. "The poor man was mugged and killed after placing the order, but we had it completed by that time. I think with a little tweaking it would fit you."

Jacob nodded and glanced over at Evie who had taken a seat in a chair nearby. She was now looking highly amused. He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment before turning to see a young girl come in with a coat draped over one arm and a teapot in the other. Josie took the coat from her and murmured a request to offer Evie some tea. She turned back towards him and held the coat up for his inspection. "As you can see, it has a more generous cut in the shoulders and the fabric has a dense weave, making it a little tougher and more weatherproof. I believe the gentleman that ordered it intended to use it in some sort of sporting fashion."

Jacob reached out and lifted a sleeve to examine it. The fabric was dense but flowed well; it could probably deflect a blade decently, if not stop it completely. He turned to lean his cane against the table and doffed his top hat, placing it on the table as well. A few quick movements had his gauntlet unstrapped and he was able to take off his own coat, leaving him in his shirt sleeves and waistcoat.

Josie swallowed a gulp as she took in the breadth of his shoulders, suddenly unsure if this coat would fit him as she had initially thought. She held it up as he turned his back to her and slipped his arms into the sleeves, shrugging his shoulders lightly to settle the coat in place. She could immediately see that Jacob was indeed wider across the shoulders than the late Mr. Turnbridge.

Jacob turned to face her, careful not to make any sudden movements. He could feel the strain on the seams, but kept a slight smile on his face anyway. "Well? What do you think?"

Josie blinked and said, "I think that you and Mr. Turnbridge had very different ideas of sport."

Jacob chuckled and said, "Well, I do tend to have a very active sort of lifestyle." A soft snort met his comment and he shot a look over at his sister. She was obviously trying to hide her grin behind the rim of her teacup. He turned his attention back to Josie who had just asked him something. "I'm sorry, what was that Miss Hanley?"

"I asked if by chance you were a boxer."

He blinked a few times. "A boxer? Why do you ask? Do I look the sort that would participate in that sort of activity?"

Josie's lips twitched upward. "No need to be coy, Mr. Frye. I've been to a few of the gatherings and even placed a wager or two on particular men. I ask because you seem to have the sort of physique I've witnessed those men to have."

He wanted to laugh at hearing her admit so honestly to her social activities. She was proving to be a rare sort of female indeed. With a grin, he nodded. "I will admit that I have stepped into the ring a time or two since coming to London."

"I thought as much. In that case," she said, stepping behind him and reaching up to help slide the obviously too tight coat off, "I'll need to take a few measurements and should have something ready for you within the next week or so. Do you have a fabric and color preference or do you trust my judgement on such matters?"

Jacob picked up his own coat and slipped it back on. As he picked up his gauntlet to strap it back into place, he considered her question. To his surprise, he found that he _did_ trust her; she was the professional seamstress, after all. "Miss Hanley, whatever you choose, I'm sure I will like."

"Very well. Now if you will allow me to take a few measurements of you…" Josie lifted the tape measure that hung around her neck and began moving around him, having him lift an arm or hold them straight out. It took only about five minutes in total to get the information she needed. "That is all I need. If you will give me about two weeks, I will have it ready for you."

"Then I will see you in two weeks, if not before."

At that moment, Evie set her now empty teacup down with a soft click. It was obvious to her now why Jacob had insisted she come with him. Finally, she would be able to tease him right back if he brought up Mr. Green with her. "Jacob, we really should be taking care of that other business today. Miss Hanley, I'll return tomorrow morning with my waistcoat."

Josie blinked and smiled. "Yes, of course. Please, pop in any time. You and your associates are welcome."

Evie nodded and turned toward the door. Jacob lifted his hat and bowed slightly toward Josie. "Until next time, Miss Hanley." With a smile, he turned and followed Evie out of the shop and back to their carriage. Mercifully, she waited until they were driving away before teasing him.

"You're sweet on the lady, aren't you?" Evie turned to look at him. He studiously kept his face forward, but she thought she could detect a slight hint of pink on the tips of his ears. "What was that you were saying to me earlier about the possibility of needing a new special outfit? Maybe you will need one yourself."

"Oh, shut it, Evie," he growled, slapping the reins to speed up the horses. Her soft laughter floated back over the roof of the carriage as they left the district.

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 _A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating. It's the holiday season and I work in retail. 'Nuff said, I should hope. Thank you to everyone that has thus far reviewed, faved and placed this story on their alert lists. I hope I don't disappoint. Jacob and Josie have been very active in my mind lately, just not in a particularly linear order or fashion. I have to sort out what happened when and how and where._


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